A51 autoroute
Encyclopedia
The A51 autoroute is a projected motorway in south east France
. It is the long term project to connect Marseille
to Grenoble
via Aix-en-Provence
, the Durance
valley and the Department Hautes-Alpes.
, Manosque
, Sisteron
and then Digne and Tallard. In the Department de Isère, it passes Monestier-de-Clermont
, Vif
and Varces-Allières-et-Risset
. The motorway provides access to the south-western Alps
for the residents of the south of France. It also provides access to Cadarache
.
Its main section connects Marseille
to Aix-en-Provence
and Durance valley to the north of Sisteron (Saulce). Only 18 km is toll free between Marseilles and Aix-en-Provence, the remaining 128 km is a toll road operated by Escota between Aix-en-Provence and Saulce. At Aix-en-Provence, the autoroute becomes briefly the N296 dual-carriageway between the exits Jas-de-Boufan and Aix-les-Platanes. This section where it meets the N7
was originally proposed to be an autoroute but building has subsequently compromised the route. There is a speed limit of 50 km/h on part of the N296.
A section at the Grenoble end, Varces to Coynelle (17 km), was opened in July 1999. This was extended in March 2007 when the next section, connecting Coynelle to the Col du Fau (10.5 km), was opened in March 2007. This includes 4.5 km which is a single carriageway through the Tunnel of Sinard and over the Viaduct de Monestier. This northern section is also a toll road but it is operated by AREA. This has greatly reduced the summer congestion through the commune of Monestier.
in 1970. The construction of the section from Grenoble to Sisteron was subject to protests because of its environmental impact. In 1995 for example, demonstrators blocked work by chaining themselves to construction equipment.
Once all the sections are completed the road journey from Grenoble-Marseille will be 2h40 (instead of the current 3h30). However there are several problems:
The motorway must pass through the middle of the South-Dauphiné (Trièves) Alps. There are two options after the Col de Fau (Monestier-de-Clermont) and the current end of A51 from Grenoble:
Following a public inquiry organized between 2005/2006, the Minister, Mr Perben, announced in 2006 that A51 would be built on the Gap East route. The route must be finalized for a public inquiry planned in 2008.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It is the long term project to connect Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
to Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
via Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
, the Durance
Durance
The Durance is a major river in south-eastern France.Its source is in the south-western Alps, in Montgenèvre ski resort near Briançon and it flows south-west through the following départements and cities:* Hautes-Alpes: Briançon, Embrun.* Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: Sisteron, Manosque.* Vaucluse:...
valley and the Department Hautes-Alpes.
Route
It passes the towns of Aix-en-Provence, PertuisPertuis
Pertuis is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Located south of the Luberon, this town is also near Aix-en-Provence, a famous town. Pertuis has existed since at least 981, while a castle was first built in the 12th century...
, Manosque
Manosque
Manosque is the largest town and commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France. However, it is not the préfecture of the département, which resides in the smaller town of Digne-les-Bains...
, Sisteron
Sisteron
Sisteron is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Sisteron is situated on the banks of the River Durance just after the confluence of the rivers Buëch and Sasse...
and then Digne and Tallard. In the Department de Isère, it passes Monestier-de-Clermont
Monestier-de-Clermont
Monestier-de-Clermont is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Isère department...
, Vif
Vif, Isère
Vif is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France....
and Varces-Allières-et-Risset
Varces-Allières-et-Risset
Varces-Allières-et-Risset is a commune in the Isère department in south-eastern France.-See also:*Urban unit of Grenoble*Parc naturel régional du Vercors...
. The motorway provides access to the south-western Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
for the residents of the south of France. It also provides access to Cadarache
Cadarache
The CEA Cadarache facility is a French scientific research centre which specialises in nuclear energy research. It is located in the commune of Saint-Paul-lès-Durance, Bouches-du-Rhône, in the southern region of Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur...
.
Its main section connects Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
to Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
and Durance valley to the north of Sisteron (Saulce). Only 18 km is toll free between Marseilles and Aix-en-Provence, the remaining 128 km is a toll road operated by Escota between Aix-en-Provence and Saulce. At Aix-en-Provence, the autoroute becomes briefly the N296 dual-carriageway between the exits Jas-de-Boufan and Aix-les-Platanes. This section where it meets the N7
Route nationale 7
The Route nationale 7, or RN 7, is a trunk road in France between Paris and the border with Italy. It was also known as the Route Bleue and — sarcastically, during the annual rush to the Mediterranean beaches — the Route de la Mort .-History:The Romans under Marcus Agrippa established...
was originally proposed to be an autoroute but building has subsequently compromised the route. There is a speed limit of 50 km/h on part of the N296.
A section at the Grenoble end, Varces to Coynelle (17 km), was opened in July 1999. This was extended in March 2007 when the next section, connecting Coynelle to the Col du Fau (10.5 km), was opened in March 2007. This includes 4.5 km which is a single carriageway through the Tunnel of Sinard and over the Viaduct de Monestier. This northern section is also a toll road but it is operated by AREA. This has greatly reduced the summer congestion through the commune of Monestier.
Southern section
00 Exchange A7-A51 Junction with A7A7 autorouteThe A7 Autoroute, also known as l'autoroute du Soleil is a French motorway. It continues the A6 and links Lyon to Marseille...
to MarseilleMarseilleMarseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
-LyonLyonLyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
01 km 2 (Plan de Campagne) Towns served: Les Payrets- 02 km 5 Exchange A51-A515 Junction with A515 spur to GardanneGardanneGardanne is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department in southern France.-Geography:It is close to Aix-en-Provence and Marseille and lies on the rail link connecting the two cities.-History:Walls dating back to the first century AD have been found....
Service Area: Les Chabauds/La Champouse
- 03 km 9 (Luynes-ZI des Milles) Towns served: Luynes
- 04 km 10 (Bouc-Bel-Air) Towns served: Bouc-Bel-Air
- 04a km 11 (Luynes-Gardanne) Towns served: Gardanne, Luynes
- 05 km 14 (Les Milles) Towns served: Les Milles
- 05a km 16 (Aix- Centre) Towns served: AixAix-en-ProvenceAix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
- Exchange A51-A8 Junction with A8A8 autorouteThe A8 autoroute, La Provençale, is a -long highway in France between Aix-en-Provence and the A7 to the Côte d'Azur.- Route :The A8 is an extension of the A7 starting to the west of Aix-en-Provence at La Fare-les-Oliviers. The road passes through the Departments of Bouches-du-Rhône, Var and...
to OrangeOrange, VaucluseOrange is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It has a primarily agricultural economy...
-NiceNiceNice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
. - 06 km 19 (Aix-en-Provence) Towns served: Aix autoroute becomes the RN296a.
- Exchange RN296-A51 Autoroute recommences after a junction with the RN296.
- 11 (Aix-Les Platanes-Sud) Towns served: Aix
- 12 km 1 (Les Platanes) Towns served: Aix
- 13 km 3 (Venelles) Towns served: Venelles
- 14 km 5 (Meyrargues) Towns served: Meyrargues
- Service Area: Meyrargues/Meyrargues-Fontbelle
Péage de Pertuis
Rest Area km 24 Pont Mirabeau- Rest Area: km 28 Jouques
- 17 km 32 (Saint-Paul-les-Durance) Towns served: Gréoux-les-BainsGréoux-les-BainsGréoux-les-Bains is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
- 18 km 46 (Manosque) Towns served: Manosque
- Service Area: Manosque-(Est)/Volx-(Ouest)
- 19 km 60 (La Brillanne) Towns served: ForcalquierForcalquierForcalquier is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France.Forcalquier is located between the Lure and Luberon mountain ranges, about south of Sisteron and west of the Durance river...
via RN100- Rest Area: Ganagobie
- 20 km 75 (Peyruis) Towns served: Peyruis, Les Mées
- Rest Area: Belvédère de Peyruis/Les Mées
- 21 km 85.5 (Aubignosc) Towns served: Aubignosc, RN85Route NapoléonRoute Napoléon is the route taken by Napoléon in 1815 on his return from Elba. It is now a 325-kilometre section of the Route nationale 85.The route begins at Golfe-Juan, where Napoleon disembarked 1 March 1815, beginning the Hundred Days that ended at Waterloo. The road was inaugurated in 1932; it...
- Rest Area km 87 Aubignosc
- 22 km 91 {Sisteron-sud) Towns served: SisteronSisteronSisteron is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Sisteron is situated on the banks of the River Durance just after the confluence of the rivers Buëch and Sasse...
- 23 km 98 (Sisteron Nord) Towns served: SisteronSisteronSisteron is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Sisteron is situated on the banks of the River Durance just after the confluence of the rivers Buëch and Sasse...
- km 114 Péage de La Saulce-Tallard
- 24 km 114 (La Saulce-Tallard) Temporary end of the autoroute which joins the RN85 to GrenobleGrenobleGrenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
.
Northern Section
The autoroute recommences 85 km to the north west.- (Col du Fau-N75) Autoroute recommences with junction on the RN75 SisteronSisteronSisteron is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Sisteron is situated on the banks of the River Durance just after the confluence of the rivers Buëch and Sasse...
to GrenobleGrenobleGrenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
. - 13 (Sinard) Towns served: Sinard, Monestier-de-Clermont
- Rest Area Les Marceaux/Les Jaillets
- Péage du Crozet
- 12 (Vif) Towns served: Vif
- 11 (St-Paul de Varces) Towns served: St-Paul de Varces, Le Gua
- 10 (Varces) Towns served: Varces
- Exchange A51-A480 Junction with the A480A48 autorouteThe A48 autoroute is a motorway in France connecting the A43 with Grenoble. An extension north to Ambérieu is proposed in the medium term. It is also called Autoroute de le Dauphiné.-Characteristics:* 2x2 lanes...
to Grenoble, ChambéryChambéryChambéry is a city in the department of Savoie, located in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It is the capital of the department and has been the historical capital of the Savoy region since the 13th century, when Amadeus V of Savoy made the city his seat of power.-Geography:Chambéry...
and LyonLyonLyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
.
History
The first section was built in 1953, it connected the Autoroute de nord (open in 1951) to Cabriès. It was only extended to Aix-en-Provence and the A8A8 autoroute
The A8 autoroute, La Provençale, is a -long highway in France between Aix-en-Provence and the A7 to the Côte d'Azur.- Route :The A8 is an extension of the A7 starting to the west of Aix-en-Provence at La Fare-les-Oliviers. The road passes through the Departments of Bouches-du-Rhône, Var and...
in 1970. The construction of the section from Grenoble to Sisteron was subject to protests because of its environmental impact. In 1995 for example, demonstrators blocked work by chaining themselves to construction equipment.
Future
Following many ministerial and policy changes, and tensions between local residents. As a result the completion of the motorway has been on the agenda, for 20 years. At best its completion, is scheduled for 2019.Once all the sections are completed the road journey from Grenoble-Marseille will be 2h40 (instead of the current 3h30). However there are several problems:
- The design of the road
- The class of roads (toll/free autoroute, expressway or upgrade of the current roads (N75 and N85)
- The cost of the project.
- Strong environmental impact the route.
The motorway must pass through the middle of the South-Dauphiné (Trièves) Alps. There are two options after the Col de Fau (Monestier-de-Clermont) and the current end of A51 from Grenoble:
- The "High Route" is the most direct route over several high passes to Sisteron (Budget envisaged at 1.8 billion euros)
- "Gap East" (via the Drac valley, the Col de Bayard and the Avance valley) to Saulce the current end of the motorway from Marseille (budget envisaged of approximately 2.2 billion euros).
Following a public inquiry organized between 2005/2006, the Minister, Mr Perben, announced in 2006 that A51 would be built on the Gap East route. The route must be finalized for a public inquiry planned in 2008.